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T he next morning, Cora and Teryn stood hand in hand, Berol upon her husband’s shoulder, in the middle of their bedroom. Should anyone stumble upon them, holding stock still and silent, eyes closed, dressed in their most basic and un-regal daytime attire, they’d have made an odd sight indeed. Thankfully it was early, just after dawn, and all the servants knew better than to disturb a new couple after their wedding night. Not that they’d had one in the newlywed sense.

They’d spent the night in Cora’s bedroom— their bedroom now—nestled in each other’s arms. But they only touched as an extension of the comfort they’d sought in each other in the council room the night before. Their hearts had still been too heavy when they’d gone to bed. That heaviness hadn’t dissipated with daybreak, and now that it was morning, there was work to be done.

Cora breathed deeply, filling her lungs with air, inviting the element in and around her. She shifted her stance, feeling the firmness of the floor beneath the soles of her shoes, anchoring herself with the earth element. A squeeze from Teryn’s hand did the same, and as she pressed his palm in return, her heart flooded with warmth. She focused on it, letting her love for Teryn grow, to fill her chest, to lift her mood. That was the element of water, which echoed the blood surging through her, the moisture on her lips. She breathed deeply again, and this time she focused on the gentle sunlight kissing her eyelids as it streamed through the windows. It resonated with her strength of will, her determination. The element of fire.

With her connection to the elements secure, she shifted her focus back to Teryn, to the warmth of his hand, to her awareness of his presence. Then to Berol’s. She was prepared to test not only her ability to worldwalk with another person but Berol too. Furthermore, she would determine if she needed to be touching both of them, or if it was enough that Teryn and Berol were touching, and that Cora intended to bring both along.

She opened her consciousness, allowing her mental wards to come down as she took in the emotions of her two companions. She sensed them, felt a flicker of Teryn’s nervousness and Berol’s far more neutral curiosity. She sank into those feelings for several breaths until the connection felt effortless. After that, she filled her mind’s eye with a vision of a particular place in the woods, not too far from the castle’s outer walls. It was where she often met with Valorre for one of their carefree rides whenever she could steal away from her queenly duties, and she’d grown accustomed to worldwalking there.

She envisioned the space, a small clearing with a wide oak tree. Behind it was a large shrub, and Cora knew her bow and quiver of arrows were stashed there. Practicing archery had become another component of her secret rides with Valorre. She could practice in the armory whenever she wanted, but doing so outdoors was more satisfying than shooting in the training room, watched by guards and attendants. Practicing in the forest made her feel so much like her old self—or more like her two selves combined. The witch and the queen. Daughter of the Forest People. Daughter of the crown.

The thought curled the corners of her lips, and her connection to the space strengthened. In turn, her vision of the clearing sharpened. She imagined the scent of earth and frost, pictured the rising sun slowly illuminating the space more and more. Shifting her feet again, she imagined how the earth would feel, hard after a chilly night but just beginning to give way beneath the morning thaw.

She focused on Teryn’s hand again and found her connection to him had remained intact. All that was left was to take a step.

With one more deep breath…

She honed her focus on that clearing…

Lifted her foot…

And settled it onto firm soil.

She opened her eyes with a gasp as the chilly morning air brushed her cheeks, her hands. Her gasp was echoed by Teryn, whose eyelids had flown open as well. And there, upon his shoulder, perched Berol. With her hand still clasped around Teryn’s, Cora whirled toward him with a wide smile.

“You did it.” He shook his head as if he could hardly believe what he was seeing. Berol flapped her wings and launched off his shoulder to one of the oak’s lower boughs. Teryn faced Cora and softly laid his free hand on her cheek. “You’re godsdamned incredible.”

His praise flooded her chest. She had to admit she was impressed with herself too. She’d been fairly confident she could accomplish the feat of traveling with others, but thinking it and doing it were two different things. Now that she’d proven it was possible, her pride swelled. It was enough to help her forget the darkest aspects of their situation, if only for a moment.

She lifted her chin and Teryn met her halfway in a tender kiss. His lips were warm, a welcome thing in their frigid environment, and as he pulled her ever closer, a spark of passion ignited. She angled her head, parting her lips for the sweep of his tongue. Perhaps she was merely riding the high of her accomplishment, but she suddenly wished she’d tried a little harder to enjoy her wedding night. Perhaps it wasn’t too late?—

I’m here, I’m here!

She froze at Valorre’s words. His presence filled her awareness, and she could sense him trotting toward them from not too far away. With a sigh, she reluctantly broke their kiss and gave Teryn an apologetic smile.

His lips curved in a lopsided grin that had her stomach tightening. “Let me guess. Valorre’s here?”

“He is. I told him to meet us if he felt my presence enter the woods.”

“What stellar timing that unicorn has.” He gave her one more kiss, on the cheek this time.

Cora sensed Valorre’s excitement growing with every step he drew nearer. He must be excited to see Teryn, for it was a greater level of anticipation than he usually reserved for her. It made sense considering the unicorn hadn’t seen Teryn since the battle at Centerpointe Rock. Unless she counted when Valorre had supposedly glimpsed him riding toward Ridine from afar. But he’d smelled him more than seen him, if his talk about the scent of strength and moonbeams was true. Even before that, when Teryn had come to Ridine last summer, the two hadn’t met face to face. By the time Valorre had reunited with Cora after they were separated in El’Ara, Teryn had been unconscious and recovering from his wounds.

Finally, Valorre trotted into the clearing, pulling up short as he saw them. His body stilled, head straightening, ears perking up. His emotions flared inside Cora, and what she first took as joyful surprise shifted into something she didn’t fully understand.

“Hi, old pal,” Teryn said, offering a wave.

Valorre gave a snort, then skipped back a step. His nostrils flared, his posture stiffening.

Cora frowned. “What’s wrong, Valorre?”

He stomped a hoof, snorting again. His emotions flared once more, and this time Cora could make out a distinct thread of indignation. How…how dare he get more handsome!

She leveled a glare at him. “That’s what you’re upset about?”

Teryn glanced between Cora and Valorre, only able to hear one side of the conversation.

That’s my look! Valorre said, scraping the earth with his front hoof. I’m the one with a mane like moonlight. Why does he have one now? And why does it make his eyes glitter like emeralds? Fornication, I’m so embarrassed. Why didn’t you warn me?

Cora pursed her lips to keep from laughing. This was a serious matter for Valorre.

It’s insulting that he must try to look more beautiful than me. I am not pleased. Not pleased at all . With that, Valorre trotted back in the direction he’d come.

Teryn turned to Cora with an arched brow. “What just happened?”

She stepped close to him and reached for one of his silver-white strands. “He likes your hair.”

Teryn gave her a wry grin. “That didn’t seem like admiration.”

“Trust me, it was.” Cora shifted her fingers to the pale tresses near his brow and brushed a strand off his forehead. “I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it, but I like it too?—”

No, no . Valorre charged back into the clearing and made a beeline straight between Cora and Teryn, forcing them to step apart. He sidled into Cora, herding her away from Teryn. We have work to do .

With a roll of her eyes, she mouthed sorry at Teryn, who merely chuckled at Valorre’s odd behavior.

Come , Valorre said, stopping only once they’d reached the other side of the clearing. Let’s find your Forest People .

Cora was about to settle in and focus on her next test when Valorre let out yet another snort. Shaking his mane, he said, I am still much taller than him.

The morning sun had fully risen over the Cambron Mountains by the time Valorre settled down enough for Cora to concentrate. He’d asked about a dozen times whether Teryn could see him blushing, to which she’d reply that he couldn’t blush. To that, Valorre just had to know if she was certainly sure he couldn’t. She was almost of a mind to find the Forest People without Valorre, but the threat of her not needing his aid was enough to get him to relax.

After reconnecting with all the elements, she placed her hand on Valorre’s soft hide. Her palm thrummed in response, sending warmth radiating down every line of her insigmora . She glanced briefly at her forearm, where the geometric shapes spanned from her palm to just below her bicep. Her gaze settled upon the spiral that marked the skin above her elbow crease. Beside it, new shapes had taken form, a crescent moon, a few small triangles. She recalled when she’d noticed the spiral. It had been the first tattoo that hadn’t been physically marked upon her. Instead, it had formed on its own, something that had surprised her but not Salinda. Ever since, more tattoos had grown, particularly after the tragic night last summer.

Despite being a Faeryn tradition, her insigmora had taken on a life of its own. Cora now knew she had no fae blood, neither Elvyn nor Faeryn, yet her tattoos continued to grow with her magic, just like they did for the other Forest People. Even apart from them, Cora’s body, her magic, remained entwined with those who’d trained her. They were family. They were a piece of her heart and soul. She could find them.

She let this confidence wash over her as she closed her eyes and settled her attention on her heart, drawing on her love for Salinda and Maiya. She pictured their smiling faces, felt their warm hugs, heard their encouraging words. Doubts shot through these imaginings, bringing questions of whether they’d be happy to see her again or if they’d condemn her for not visiting sooner. Or if they’d be upset that she came back at all, because of their rules about royals.

They are family , Valorre said. You don’t need to doubt them .

She let his words bolster her confidence, and she breathed her doubts away. Returning to thoughts of Salinda and Maiya, she settled deeper into her affection for them. For the strong guidance of a mother. The love of a sister. The loyalty of family. She lingered here, fueling her magic with emotion. Then she let her mind drift from her foster family to the camp in general. She sought the scents of woodsmoke and herbs, imagined the sounds of those waking from slumber. Memories of whispered voices, hushed steps, and the comforting clatter of cookware flooded her consciousness. The memories were so vivid, it was like she was there. Truly there .

Whether it was just a memory or a glimpse at their location, she knew not, but an internal nudge told her she was on the right track. This was how to find them. How to feel them.

She let her memories sharpen yet turn yielding at the same time. She opened herself to alterations, to imagine the camp’s surroundings without shaping the location from physical recollection. All the while she kept her heart tethered to her love for the commune that had raised her, for Salinda and Maiya, for her other friends and acquaintances, for how they’d taught her to be the witch she was today.

Something warm and heavy pulsed in her chest, blooming outward and flooding her arms, her palms, tingling her insigmora . It pulsed back at her from her connection to Valorre, from his soft flank to her palm, up her forearms, and back to her heart. The circuit continued, a pulse of loving energy.

I can feel them too , Valorre said. I feel the camp. I hear it. Smell it .

Excitement rushed through her, but they needed to see something too, if they wanted to travel there. Preferably something outside the camp, so they didn’t show up out of nowhere like apparitions.

There’s a lake , Valorre said. My brethren have seen it. They’ve passed the lake and the camp. The two locations are close .

Cora’s concentration nearly faltered at that. Valorre could sense fellow unicorns when they were nearby, but if the Forest People were in the region of Khero she expected them to be, he was sensing his brethren from a much farther distance than usual. And…communicating with them? But how? Was this a side effect of the tear in the Veil?

Yes , Valorre said. I remember now. I have always sensed my kin when nearby, like all fae can .

Cora recalled Etrix saying something similar, that the Elvyn could sense their kin. But for Valorre…

All unicorns are connected. Brethren. Kin. And now I can sense them easier than I could before .

That’s…amazing , Cora said.

There would be more time to marvel at such a connection, but for now she pushed her awe aside and settled back into her meditative state. His vision of the lake filled her mind. Frost marked the shore while the lake’s glossy surface reflected a cloudless sky. She couldn’t be sure how long ago this vision was from, but that didn’t matter. The location was important. Keeping her heart wrapped around her warmest emotions, she poured all her attention into that image. She imagined how the earth would feel beneath her feet, how the water would sound as it lapped upon the shore. Valorre did the same, his concentration strengthening her own, until the location felt real enough to touch.

Real enough to step into.

With a deep breath, she took a step…

And rooted herself at the edge of the lake.

Awe fell over her, but it was interrupted by an icy breeze that bit her cheeks, much sharper without the protection of the woods. She glanced at Valorre, who seemed far less surprised as he looked out at their change of location.

“We did it,” she said.

Of course we did , came his smug reply. I am quite talented .

She couldn’t stop the grin from forming on her lips, but there was still one thing left to do to ensure their task had worked as intended. A wave of fatigue swept over her and attempted to fray her concentration, but she breathed deeply, strengthening her connection to the elements once more. Then, extending her senses, she sought familiar strains of consciousness. At first, she got nothing back, felt nothing in her quiet surroundings. She pushed further, extending her reach wider. Valorre sidled into her, as if to remind her to utilize his strength as well. She reached for him again, pressed her palm to his hide…

She felt them.

It was a small spark, but it was there.

Salinda.

Maiya.

She’d found the Forest People.